Technological advancements have made personal ownership of a storm shelter more affordable, and hence more available, to the homeowner. The market for storm shelters has grown significantly; underground storm shelters and safe rooms are much more prevalent in new home construction in recent years. There is a market demand for a concealed underground shelter, be it for safe retreat from a storm and/or for the concealed underground storage of valuables such as guns and ammunitions, other valuables, and survival rations such as food, water, medicines and the like. This demand comes from a steady and recent rise in global societal/political turmoil, unrest, threat of war, coupled with the economic instability of major countries around the world. A result is a group of citizens generally referred to as “preppers,” named for the fact that they are preparing for economic and social unrest of varying predicted degrees. This market demand is satisfied by an underground shelter that, when closed, is advantageously concealed to the view of others above ground. It is to these improvements that the embodiments of the present invention are directed.